Chapter 40 General Ji, are you tearing the house down...?
Traveling through the night, half the journey was shrouded in mist and rain, and the other half in torrential rain.
In the latter half of the journey, no matter how they tried to cover themselves, the Ningdong Army soldiers were soaked through.
Then, without slowing down in the slightest, they approached Luyun Pass with the determination to die.
This was the first time they had ever seen Luyun Pass.
Just as they had imagined, it stood tall and majestic. Washed by the torrential rain, it exuded a powerful and aloof air, defying all conventions.
Ji and Jing led over a thousand soldiers, including Cong Xin, to ambush around Luyun Pass.
The rain was torrential and visibility was low.
Clad in withered grass and straw raincoats, they lay prostrate on the ground, their colors blending with the earth.
Suddenly, Ji Yujing raised his right hand slightly and flicked his index finger.
In the next instant, Ye Xiao and the other group of light-footed martial arts experts crawled along the ground to the foot of the pass, out of the guards' blind spot. They circled around the cold wall to a secluded spot and leaped straight up.
Ji and Jing were among them.
He's always been like this; whenever he's around, he's always the first to take on dangerous missions.
As expected, except for a few dangerous landing spots, everyone else successfully made it to the top, and then the thick, long ropes were lowered down one by one.
The Ningdong Army soldiers silently climbed to higher ground, remaining unusually calm even when they heard some sounds of fighting.
Those who entered Luyun Pass before them possessed the world's best lightness skills.
Putting everything else aside, their survival skills are top-notch.
This time, Ye Xiao wasn't so lucky.
His whereabouts were exposed the moment his feet touched the ground.
He dared to stake his life on it, so his actions were very lenient, much lighter than most of the dozen or so people who came up earlier.
However, he was discovered.
"who?"
"How dare they trespass into Luyun Pass!"
A troop of guards immediately charged toward him, their menacing presence causing water and wind to splash as they stepped out.
For a moment, Ye Xiao wanted to run away.
Just jump down, it's that simple.
But this thought lasted only a few breaths before being crushed by his pride.
He may be shameless, but his cousin can't be shameless.
So Ye Xiao reached out and ripped off the cumbersome straw raincoat, drew his sword, and charged towards the Dongshao Kingdom's garrison.
He was quick to kill enemies, but there was a constant stream of people coming towards him.
They can't be killed all of them.
However, his physical strength couldn't sustain this intense fighting for much longer.
After a short while, Ye Xiao was surrounded by a crowd.
With no way out, he actually relaxed.
He addressed the Dongshao soldiers before him: "Dongshao Kingdom, prepare to be struck by lightning."
Perhaps he shouted too loudly, for he actually attracted thunder and lightning.
Ye Xiao felt that even the heavens agreed with him, and he laughed out loud. Before his laughter subsided, he raised his sword high and gripped it tightly with both hands.
It pushed its speed to the limit and charged towards the enemy troops in front of it.
The young man, tempered by repeated wars, may have harbored fear, but he has always been doing the right thing.
"Brother, when can I go and kill the Dongshao army?"
"Wait until you grow up."
"When you know that the road ahead may lead to injury or death, yet you still bravely move forward alone."
Seeing the young man bravely charge into the enemy ranks, Ji Yujing, who had been hiding in the shadows, drew his sword and entered the encirclement.
The brothers stood back to back, each killing their own side.
The familiar scent wafted into Ye Xiao's nostrils, and his eyes welled up with tears in an instant.
This time, his brother should be proud of him, right?
The rain fell on and off all night, and it was quite noisy.
Lin Qingdai was probably too tired to be bothered by the noise.
I slept soundly until dawn and woke up naturally.
At the slightest sound, Mingyue would put down what she was doing and walk towards her.
"Miss, you're awake. Would you like to get up?"
The gentle, concerned inquiry dispelled Lin Qingdai's lingering sleepiness.
She said, "Get up."
Upon hearing this, Mingyue hurriedly went to fetch her clothes.
After changing, I washed up.
After tidying up, Lin Qingdai asked Mingyue, "Where is my brother?"
Mingyue replied, "Young Master is packing his things."
He will lead his men back to the capital early the day after tomorrow.
Lin Qingdai went to the front yard, and her brother and the servants' busy figures came into view.
He stood some distance away and said, "Brother, why are there so many things?"
Lin Qingyu looked at her sister in response to the sound and explained, "Some of them were purchased."
With a wave of his hand, he marked out an area. "These boxes were a gift from Old Master Ji. He insisted that I take them back to the capital for my grandfather and parents."
When Lin Qingdai approached, he specially opened a box and pulled out two old ginseng roots.
It's exceptionally thick and long, and it's a precious red ginseng.
"That's too extravagant."
Lin Qingyu praised and exclaimed in admiration.
Lin Qingdai was amused.
"Isn't that good? If I go back empty-handed, my parents will worry that the Ji family doesn't value me."
Lin Qingyu thought so too, so she did not decline the kindness of Old Master Ji and Madam Ji.
He put the old ginseng back and closed the box.
"Why didn't you sleep well last night? Were you worried about Ji Yujing?"
Lin Qingdai did not hide anything.
"Yes, I'm a little worried about Ji Ci."
Lin Qingyu walked over and put her arm around her sister's thin shoulders, gently comforting her, "Worrying is a normal emotion, just don't overdo it."
Besides, Ji Yujing is a general with a notorious reputation; if he takes action, Xuanzhi should be the one to worry.
What she said was exactly the same as what Mingqian said last night.
Lin Qingdai couldn't help but laugh.
Lin Qingyu asked her what she was laughing about.
She explained briefly, then asked, "How would Ji Yujing react if he knew you all spoke so highly of him?"
Lin Qingyu: "He'll be secretly pleased to be praised by his brother-in-law."
Have you eaten?
"Your brother has been with you all day today."
Lin Qingdai smiled and took her brother's arm. "Let's go into the mountains."
Lin Qingyu: "..."
Ordinary people really shouldn't try to guess what a genius girl is thinking.
It's hard to guess.
But he had promised to accompany her, and he would go through fire and water with her, no matter what, let alone going into the mountains.
After having a meal with Lin Qingdai, the brother and sister, along with Chen Bo and the others, went out. They took a carriage to Xingqing Town, where Ji Yujing had once taken Lin Qingdai.
Chen Bo, under Lin Qingdai's command, stood on the stage and struck the gong.
After a few shouts, a child came out of the house.
The first one was none other than the chubby little boy that Ji Yujing had picked up that day.
He saw the fairy-like beauty in the crowd, and his dark eyes lit up with surprise.
"Wow, Mrs. Ji is here!"
He shouted louder and louder on the second and third calls, as if he wanted to call out the names of everyone in Xingqing Town, young and old.
"Madam Ji has arrived."
"Madam Ji has arrived."
After a few sounds, a group of children came toward Lin Qingdai.
This is yet another time they have so unanimously and wholeheartedly rushed towards one person; the last one was their guardian angel, Uncle Ji.
"Fairy sister, what brings you here?"
"The fruit candies last time were so delicious."
"Who is this uncle? He's so handsome."
Lin Qingyu beamed with joy upon receiving the praise.
"You have good taste, kid."
Lin Qingdai patted the chubby little boy's soft, fleshy shoulder. "I'll tell you when the adults arrive."
Gradually, the elders and the children's parents all approached Lin Qingdai.
The mayor of Xingqing Town is a woman.
He was in his forties or fifties, dressed in a gray cloth outfit, the fabric of which appeared to be produced in Xingqing Town.
"Madam, is there something you need? I am Xing Liu, the mayor of Xingqing Town."
Lin Qingdai smiled at her, "It's my fault for disturbing everyone."
"I'm here today just to ask if anyone is interested in picking wild mushrooms in the forest. After they've been dried, Mr. Lin next to me will take them all."
“He would give the villagers the same amount of money he received from elsewhere, without ever keeping a single penny.”
Hearing that there was money to be made, the villagers were all excited.
There were still endless wild mushrooms and herbs in the mountains, and a look of surprise filled his eyes.
"Any kind of bacteria?"
Upon hearing this, Mingyue took out five sheets of paper from her sleeve. All five sheets contained the same information.
Lin Qingdai wrote this yesterday during the day.
She distributed the photos to the villagers according to their area, saying, "All five photos contain the same content, so please pass them around and take a look."
“Any wild mushrooms and herbs listed are acceptable,”
"The villagers can also take a look at the other items that were missed."
The town mayor's face lit up with joy.
"Thank you, Madam Ji."
"Then let's pack up and set off."
Lin Qingdai smiled at the villagers and gently reminded them, "The roads are slippery after the rain, so please be careful. It's best to travel in groups so you can look out for each other."
"This matter is long-term and there's no rush..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Qingyu interrupted him.
"Look at him, he's such a worrywart."
“You know the dense forests of Lingdong better than the local children do.”
The chubby boy stood with his hands on his hips, looking incredibly arrogant.
"That's right, that's right."
"I can pick a lot of mushrooms and herbs to exchange for money."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Some people just set off on a whim, and Lin Qingyu and her group followed them into the forest.
As they walked, Lin Qingyu looked at his younger sister and said, "So you've really started doing business with your brother?"
Lin Qingdai: "Of course! A good deal is one where everyone wins."
"It's done."
Based on her understanding of the powerful and wealthy in the capital, she knew that these dried mushrooms would be snapped up as soon as they entered the market.
Moreover, these are consumables, so there will never be a shortage of business.
"Brother, I'm going to start now."
"I plan to open the first Lin family business around Xingqing Town."
Using this place as the hub, goods are collected and then sent to the places with the highest demand according to local needs.
Where did this shop come from?
"Lord Yu personally rented it for me and even waived the rent for ten years."
"Hahaha."
After laughing, Lin Qingyu gave Lin Qingdai a thumbs up.
"As expected of a daughter of the Lin family."
"Knowing how to do business" seemed to be ingrained in her bones; it was effortless for her.
Lin Qingdai accepted the compliment with a smile, saying, "It's nothing."
The night was as dark as ink, staining every inch of Xiaoshui City.
The horses were exhausted from running, but the soldiers at the front finally entered the Eastern Palace.
"Your Highness, Ji Yujing... Ji Yujing, he..."
The general who delivered the message was so tired that he knelt down and rested for a long time, but he still could hardly utter a complete sentence.
Behind Xuanzhi was Naijiang, the strategist who had suggested launching a surprise attack on Sanxi Town on the day of Ji and Jing's wedding. At this moment, he was gently comforting the weary general.
"Let's talk about it later, there's no rush."
Upon hearing this, the general burst into tears.
How can we not be anxious about this?
"Your Highness, Ji Yujing has suddenly stormed into Sanxi Town."
"He slaughtered most of the 10,000 soldiers in Sanxi Town."
The rest will never be able to go to the battlefield again.
Naijiang's eyes widened in shock.
Xuanzhi sat there without saying a word.
After a while, he suddenly struck out and smashed the teacup on the table.
"Ji and Jing".
He practically spat out those three words through gritted teeth.
Little did he know that this was just the beginning.
Before he could vent his anger, more soldiers entered the Eastern Palace.
"Report! Ji Yujing has launched a surprise attack on Luyun Pass and has now taken control of the city."
Genji experienced the biggest failure of his life.
It was given to him by his old rival, Ji Yujing.
The initial intense and negative emotions gradually faded, and he let out a low, short laugh.
"Prepare yourselves, I am going to Luyun Pass."
"Fifteen minutes later."
"promise."
On the tenth day of the sixth lunar month, the torrential rain that had almost flooded Luyun Pass finally came to an end.
At dawn, Xuanzhi arrived at Luyun Pass.
Even when he arrived at his place, the gate remained tightly closed. He had to inform the person inside before he could enter.
He actually encountered such an absurd thing.
This is nothing compared to what's to come.
After the announcement, Ji Yujing left him hanging for a full hour.
During this time, the soldiers behind Xuanzhi were repeatedly enraged and cursed at the tightly closed Luyun Pass.
Xuanzhi did not stop him, but he knew in his heart that Ji Yujing would not pay any attention to him.
In his eyes, these people were not even as good as dogs.
If his current strength weren't insufficient to support his ambitions, he would want to occupy far more than just Luyun Pass.
An hour later, Xu Xian finally emerged from Luyun Pass.
"One person will go. You can decide who goes."
"Don't go too far."
The general behind Xuanzhi drew his sword on the spot. Xu Xian pressed his hand on his sword, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, a sign that he was suppressing the turmoil in his blood.
"If you're not convinced, then let's fight."
He raised the corners of his mouth slightly at the military officer and said, "Judging from your formation, why don't you come and negotiate peace? If you're going to negotiate peace, then act like you are."
"We're standing here today, never thinking we'd make it back to Lingdong alive."
Xuanzhi smiled upon hearing this, "General Xu, is that right?"
"He really does have a short temper, but I like it."
Having said that, he walked straight ahead.
The results are in; he went in alone.
Once inside the pass, not far from the archway, there is a long table.
Chairs were placed on the two shorter sides of the long table. When Xuanzhi saw the long table, Ji Yujing was already sitting at one end.
He was dressed in gray cloth, and the two completely different qualities of detachment and cheapness appeared on him without any sense of incongruity.
People say that he and Ji Yujing are lifelong enemies, hating each other the most, but also understanding each other the most.
But he didn't actually know Ji Yujing.
Even today, he still can't figure it out: with Ji Yujing's talent and ability, he could be a million times richer than he is now if he wanted to.
But he insisted on carrying the burden of countless strangers on his shoulders.
He worked himself to the bone, but in the end, the emperor was still wary and fearful of him, and it was only a matter of time before he was eliminated.
I wonder if Ji Yujing will regret it in the end?
As his thoughts began to stir, Xuanzhi settled down at the other end of the long table.
He spoke first, a smile playing on his lips.
"I truly never expected you to go this far."
Taking advantage of the sudden flooding at Luyun Pass—what an ingenious idea! One must be proficient in weather, geography, and military strategy to possibly choose this pass from among many others.
"A remarkable person exists in the Ningdong Army?"
Ji Yujing recalled Lin Qingdai's note, and a smile crept onto his lips, which he couldn't suppress.
Or perhaps he didn't want to.
"Yes, but someone like you doesn't deserve to see her."
He hates aristocratic families, yet now he's grateful to them—what a contradiction!
Without a century of nurturing and cultivation, how could Lin Qingdai, a veritable treasure trove of knowledge, have emerged? Many of the books she has read are now lost to time.
Some are niche, some exquisite, and the range of topics is wide-ranging. When she wants to do something, these books are like her good friends, always there to help her when needed.
In this respect, almost no one in the world can rival him.
Therefore, there is only one Lin Qingdai in this world.
Such a person should always remain on a high pedestal; filth is not worthy of tainting her.
"Oh……"
Xuanzhi was not provoked. He laughed, skipped the issue, and focused on the negotiation.
"What will it take for you to leave Luyun Pass?"
Given the current situation, Xuanzhi only wanted to cut his losses.
Ji and Jing now occupy Luyun Pass, which is rich in resources and has vast farmlands, making it difficult to completely trap them.
Now that the Ningdong Army has regained its fighting spirit, if the fighting continues, the losses will only increase.
They have already slaughtered nearly 20,000 of his elite troops.
Ji Yujing didn't beat around the bush, "I want Sanxi Town and 20,000 taels of gold."
“Xuanzhi, you should know that Luyun Pass is worth more than 20,000 taels of gold.”
The implication is that he is very serious about making peace.
Xuanzhi's refusal to accept his conditions meant that the negotiations had broken down.
"OK."
"I need to see 20,000 gold within two days. Only after my advance troops have returned the deposit to the other side of the boundary marker will the main force begin to withdraw."
“I will send troops to defend Sanxi Town. From then on, there will be two boundary markers on the Lingdong and Dongshao West lines.”
Sanxi Town thus became a buffer zone, allowing villagers who had been forced to relocate from Sanxi Town to return home.
"Ji Yujing, I will grant you everything you want this time."
"But you should know that I will repay you double next time for what you did this time."
Xuanzhi's voice was gentle, as were his eyes and brows; no matter how you listened or looked at him, he had nothing to do with threat.
But he was threatening us.
Now that things have come to this, and with the Ningdong Army's confidence boosted by their initial victory in the attack on Dongshao, Ji Yujing felt it was time for the team to venture out of Lingdong.
They were even more formidable than he had imagined.
“Xuanzhi, I’m ready to accompany you anytime.”
He didn't even add a sentence to the ceasefire terms: Dongshao is not allowed to harass the Lingdong border within one year.
June 12th, sunny.
Inside Luyun Pass, things are gradually returning to normal.
Unlike Ji Yujing and Xuanzhi, he did not kill civilians.
But the prerequisite is that they must comply with military orders. If they insist on dying, he will grant their wish and show them no mercy.
His style was too domineering and clear, and although the Luyun Pass changed hands briefly, there was no obvious chaos.
At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Chen De, a senior general of the Dongshao Army, led a team to escort 20,000 taels of gold to Luyun Pass.
Xu Xianhe led his troops to inspect the goods again and confirmed that all 20,000 taels of gold were genuine. They returned to the pass and reported to Ji Yujing.
Ji Yujing smiled slightly, "Xu Xian."
Xu Xian: "Your subordinate is here."
"Take two thousand brothers to escort the gold back to Lingdong as quickly as possible."
"Your subordinate obeys."
"Ye Xiao, go back with Xu Xian."
Ye Xiao was reluctant, "I want to be with my brother..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Yujing interrupted him, "Go back and let your family know you're safe, okay?"
Ye Xiao felt that his brother was afraid his sister-in-law would worry and wanted her to know the situation here as soon as possible, which was why he asked him to go back first.
But he dared not say it.
At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Xu Xian and Ye Xiao led a team to escort the gold back to Lingdong. They hurried as fast as they could, and just as the rosy dawn broke through the haze on the horizon...
Xu Xian and his group, along with the incredibly heavy trailer, finally entered Lingdong territory.
"Going home."
"I've never felt so glorious in my life!! This battle was so satisfying."
In war, casualties are inevitable.
But every man from Lingdong is not afraid, as long as his home is there and his neighbors and fellow villagers are safe and sound.
"Li Qian, we won!!"
"Twenty thousand taels of gold."
"Quickly send someone across Luyun Pass to inform General Ji that he can go home now."
The noise rose and then subsided.
A troop of soldiers headed towards Luyun Pass, galloping swiftly to welcome their lord home.
On June 14, Ji and Jing led their troops back to Sanxi Town.
At that time, Sanxi Town had completed its initial defense deployment. From then on, Sanxi Town was renamed Qingshi Town and placed under the jurisdiction of Lingdong.
Ji and Jing did not linger in Sanxi Town, but led their troops to their garrison in Jingning City.
Upon returning to Jingning City, he handed the horse to Congxin, saying, "I'm going home first."
He nodded again, indicating that he understood.
I left home on my wedding day, and it has been nine days since then.
If the bride hadn't been extraordinary, the wedding would have fallen apart right after it started.
Ji Yujing headed towards the Lin residence, guessing that Lin Qingdai probably lived there.
She's used to it, and her two elders at home will definitely indulge her.
It was nearly 3 PM, the busiest time in Jingning City.
Ji and Jing wandered among them, listening to the villagers chatting and haggling loudly at their stalls...
He felt exhausted, but the fatigue was gradually dissipating.
As he walked to a teahouse, he suddenly heard voices of conversation coming from the second floor.
Upon closer examination, their voices were actually quite faint. However, Ji Yujing's strong internal energy due to his martial arts training made his perception much more acute than that of ordinary people. Every word they said reached his ears without missing a single one.
"I saw Madam Ji and the eldest son of the Lin family leaving the city this morning. Is she leaving?"
"Really? They've already gone through the wedding ceremony."
"That's hard to say. A young lady from the capital, rich and powerful, how could she possibly stand her newlywed husband going off to fight?"
"It's you, how could you tolerate this?"
"General Ji didn't do it on purpose. It's all the fault of those bastards from Dongshao Kingdom."
Ji Yujing couldn't listen to a single word that followed.
Like a gust of wind, they rushed to the Lin residence.
In just a few days, he was constantly reminded that Dai Dai would leave him at some moment he could not predict.
He knew it wouldn't happen, at least not so easily, but every time, his anger would be stirred by this possibility, and he couldn't control himself.
Upon arrival, he pounded on the door fiercely.
A loud bang echoed as someone came to open the door.
It is neither Chen Bo nor Lin Qingyu, nor Lin Qingdai.
It was a servant carrying a large broom, sweeping up fallen leaves and scattered flowers in the front yard.
"General Ji."
"Get out of the way."
The empty house gave rise to bad thoughts, and in an instant, a chill ran down his spine.
He went straight into the mansion and, following his memory, found Lin Qingdai's courtyard.
The courtyard gate was tightly closed.
He stood at the door for almost the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, but still couldn't sense her presence.
She didn't even come to greet him.
Have you left, Lin Qingdai?
You are my wife, and you cannot go anywhere without my permission.
As the anger surged, Ji Yujing raised his foot, and with a loud bang, the tightly closed courtyard gate shattered into pieces.
Ji and Jing were finally able to enter Lin Qingdai's world.
He could faintly smell the fragrance of the grass, which calmed his mind slightly.
Upon reaching the gate, he prepared to repeat his previous tactic, determined to confirm whether Lin Qingdai was still there.
Just then, a woman's voice, tinged with annoyance, came from behind him.
"General Ji, are you destroying the house?"
Dai Dai? Home Demolition?
Even when things were on the verge of spiraling out of control, Ji and Jing still managed to pinpoint the key points.
Dai Dai didn't leave.
She said this was her and his home.
He stood there, stunned, unable to respond to her immediately.
The delicate girl was furious. She strode towards him, looking fierce and ready to confront him.
"say."
"You go crazy as soon as you get home, what do you mean?"
"What have I done to wrong you?"
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